London Clown Festival marks 10 years with global line-up and anarchic summer takeover
London’s most joyfully unhinged festival is back from 30th May to 13th June across Soho Theatre and Jacksons Lane. Founded in 2016 by Dan Lees and Henry Maynard, the London Clown Festival has steadily reshaped perceptions of clowning in the UK.
The London Clown Festival returns this summer for its 10th anniversary, bringing two weeks of physical comedy, absurdity and beautifully strange performance to Soho Theatre and Jacksons Lane.
Running from 30 May to 13 June, the festival has built a reputation for championing contemporary clowning — far removed from red noses and circus routines. Instead, expect work that blends theatre, bouffon, audience interaction and outright silliness, often tipping into something darker, stranger and unexpectedly moving.
This year’s line-up is characteristically international, with artists arriving from Poland, Mexico, Venezuela, Australia, Italy and the USA, alongside a strong UK contingent. It’s a mix that reflects the form itself: elastic, borderless and hard to pin down.
The festival opens with its ever-popular Opening Cabaret on 30 May, hosted by the sharp and unpredictable Lara Ricote. A long-standing sell-out, the event has moved to Jacksons Lane this year to accommodate demand. The bill includes Julia Masli, Josh Glanc and Jamie Wood, offering a fast-moving sampler of the festival’s range.
Elsewhere, highlights include Italian performer Carlo Jacucci’s critically acclaimed solo show VITAMIN, described as “primitive simplicity and imaginative charm”, and Dru Cripps’ Juicy Bits, an improvised, loopstation-fuelled descent into musical chaos. There’s also Gutter – A Bouffon Comedy Ritual, a cult favourite that leans into the darker edges of clowning, where satire bites and the audience is very much part of the joke.
For something more conceptual, Jamie Wood’s O No! — a long-running hit — draws on the work of Yoko Ono to explore love, optimism and artistic experimentation through a deliberately off-kilter lens.
Beyond performances, the festival continues its focus on craft with a two-day Puppetry for Clowns intensive (6–7 June), led by Olivier-nominated puppeteer Caroline Partridge. It’s aimed at performers looking to expand their physical storytelling toolkit and reflects the festival’s ongoing commitment to developing the form as well as showcasing it.
London Clown Festival 2026
Dates: 30 May – 13 June 2026
Venues: Soho Theatre, 21 Dean Street, London W1D 3NE; Jacksons Lane, 269A Archway Road, London N6 5AA
Times: Various
Tickets: £14–£20 (plus booking fees)
Opening Cabaret
30 May, Jacksons Lane
Workshops
Puppetry for Clowns (2-day intensive): 6–7 June
More information: www.londonclownfest.co.uk
Elena Leo is the Culture & Lifestyle Editor of Ikon London Magazine.
